Method of effecting varied milling operations upon metal workpieces



E. T. NORD 2,433,145

MILLING OPERATIONS UPON METAL WORKPIEGES Dec. 23, 1947.

METHOD OF EFFECTING VARIED 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Feb. 26, 1943 Dec.n23, 1947. E T, NORD 2,433,145' METHQD oF EFFECTING vARm MILLINGOPERATIONS UPON METAL woRKPIEcEs original Filed Feb. 26, 1943 4 sneetsesheet 2 gow H6; 4 Y Fla. 5

ATTORNEY E. T. NORD Dec. 23', 1947.

METHOD OF EFFECTING VARIED MILLING OPERATIONS UPON` METAL WORKPIEGES Original Filed Feb. 26, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Hum. far

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Dec. 23, 1947. f E. T. NORD 2,433,145 METHOD OF EFFECTING `VARIED MILLING OPERATIONS UPON. METAL WORKPIEGES Original Filed Feb. 26, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Flf ZI )n A770 EY Patented Dec. 23 1947 2,433,145 METHOD OF `EFFECTING VARIED MILLING OPERATIONS Automatic Corporation,

poration ,of Ohio UPON METAL WORKPIECES lEric T. Nord, Amherst, Ohio, assignor to U. S.

Amherst, Ohio, a cor- Original application February 26, 1943, rSerial No.

477,241, now 18, 1 946.

Patent No, 2,402,179, dated Jurre Divided and this application .April 4,1945, serial No. 586,592

(ch 9o-111) 2 Claims.

The invention relates to metal-cutting tools and particularly-to a machine for performing multiple milling operations upon a succession of metal pieces or work fed thereto.

The subject matter claimed in the instant application vis the improved methods of effecting varied milling operations upon a metal workpiece disclosed in an application filed by me on improvements in Milling machines, Serial No. 477,241, filed February 26, 1943, Patent No. 2,402,179, granted June 18, 1946, the instant application being a division of said application Serial No. 477,241. Y

The purposes of the `invention ap-plication Serial No. 477,241 are the provision of a machine which will dispense with al1 but a minimum of manual operation, will rapidly and accurately effect a, multiple of milling operations upon a plurality of metal `parts successively fed thereto, which operations differ amongst themselves not only in that they produce different results in the work, but in that they are effected by different methods of approach of the work and the milling tools, the illustrative machine shown in the accompanying drawings and described in the following specification performing three milling operations in two different stages, in the rst oflwhich stages the work is moved against, and into a cutting tool, and in the other of which stages two cutting tools are moved simultaneously into opposed parts of the work.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail certain steps illustrating the improved methods of effecting varied milling operations upon a metal work-piece, such steps constituting, however, only a few of the various series of steps by which the principle of the invention may be worked.

In said annexed drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved milling machine, the near side plate of the machine being partially broken away, the several elementsV of the machine appearing in the respective positions assumed by them immediately y preceding the completion of all of themilling operations effected by the machine upon the work;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the improved machine;

Figure 3 is a plan View of the piece or work operated upon by the particular form of improved machine shown in the accompanying drawings, the view inFigure 3 being that of a piece which has been completely milled by the improved machine;

disclosed in said cated by the line Figure 4 is a section, taken in the plane indi- 4 4, Figure 3, particularly showing two milling operations which were effected simultaneously in the second stage of operations upon diametrically opposite sides of the work;

Figure 5 Vis a section, taken in the plane indicated by the line 5 5, Figure 3, particularly illustrating another milling operation which was effected in the first stage .of operations on the work;

Figure 6 is a. plan view of the left side of the upper portion of the machine shown in Figure 1; f Y Figure 7 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section, taken in the planes indicated by the line 1 1, Figure 6;

Figurev 8 is a ,fragmentary transverse vertical section, taken in the planes indicated by the line 8 8, Figure 7; Y

Figure 9 is a fragmentary horizontal longitudinal section, takenin the planes indicated by the line 9 9, Figures 7 and 8;

VFigure 10 is a plan section, taken in the planes indicated by the line |0 IIJ, Figure l;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary plan section, taken in the planes indicated by the line Il l l, Figure l; and

Figure 12 is a, fragmentary longitudinal vertical section, taken in the plane indicated by the line I2 l,2, Figure 10.

Referring tothe annexed drawings in which the'same parts are indicated by the same respective numbers in the several views, the operations which the improved milling machine performs upon the work, in the form of invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, are shown in Figures i3, 4, and 5. The work Il] which, for instance, is a shell nose-piece or screw plug of annular formation, is given two milling cuts Il at one end in diametrically opposed areas during the second stage of operations and a milling cut l2 at the same end'in another area during the first stage of operations. The cuts l I and l2 may serve various purposes, for instance, the cuts ll might accommodate a Spanner for placing or removing the piece I0 and the cut I2 might serve for the accommodation of a locking member.

The operations effecting the cuts Il and l2 are performed while the :piece I0 is positioned in a reciprocable table 5 of the improved machine, the accommodation of the piece l0 in the table 5 during the actual milling operations being shown in Figures l, 7, 10,and 12. In fact, the positions of al1 the elements of the improved fthe cutter 30 to effect` the machine, as shown in all the views of the accompanying drawings, are those assumed by the several elements during the milling operations, the actual stage of the milling operations shown being that immediately prior to the completion of the diametrically opposite cuts II, the cut I2 having previously been completed, but the milling cutter by which retained in cutting position and running idly through the cut I2 which it has completed.

rlhe cut I2 is made by a milling cutter 30 rotated by a transverse horizontal shaft |30 eX- tended transversely across and above a milling area, the work I being fed to the cutter 30 to effect the operation, and the diametrically opposed cuts I I are made by a pair of millers 20, end mills in the embodiment disclosed, mounted in transversely opposed Vertical spindles |20 which are reciprocable toward and from each other and the milling area, the cuts being made by'feeding the millers 20 intothe Work I0.

Certain primary frame elements of the machine consist in a transverse top plate 2, Figures 1 and 6, disposed intermediate the longitudinal length of the machine and secured to machine side plates 21, Figures 1, 6, 8, 9, and 10, and having depending forward and rearward cross Walls intermediate the side plates 21, of which the for- Ward wall 22, Figures 1, '1, 8, 9, 10, and 11, extends downwardly to the frame base 4, and the rear wall 23, Figure 1 extends downwardly to a certain area containing cams and other associated mechanism in the lower rear part of the machine, as hereinafter fully described. A front supporting frame portion of the machine is indicated byA 3, and other certain frame parts will be particularly hereinafter mentioned in connection With the particular mechanisms which they support.

The cycle of operations, broadly stated, is as follows:

With the reciprocable table 5 in a retracted position from the milling area (its extreme righthand position, which is the opposite extreme from that shown in Figures 1 and 10, for instance), certain elements accessory to the table 5 are opened so that a piece I0 may be positioned therein. Then, the accessory elements are closed to lock the piece I0 in the table 5 and the latter then moved to the left, Figures l and 10, to bring the piece I0 into the milling area, by the action of a cam 85 and connecting mechanism, Figures 1, 10, and 11, and the work I0 fed thereby into cut I2. Then, the |20 carrying the millers inwardly toward each opposed pair of spindles 20 are fed transversely other, by a cam |05 and associated mechanism, Figures 1, 2, 6, and 9, to cause the millers 20 gradually to move into the work I0 to effect the diametrically opposed cuts I I. During the cutting operations effected by the opposed millers it was effected still being 28, the cutter 30 rotates. idly through the cut I2 which it has already effected, shown in Figures 1 and 12.

A compression spring 80, Figures l, 11, and 12, tends to retract the table 5 and does so retract it when the action of the cam 85 and its, cooperating roller 90 so permit. A compression spring 88, Figures 1 and 11, tends to spread the reciprocable spindles |20 and does so When its controlling cam |05 and cooperating roller ||0 so permit. As before stated, the positions of the elements shown in the accompanying drawings are those assumed immediately prior to the completion of the cutting operations, so that the cams 85 and in the position 4 controlling springs, are shown in their relative positions at this stage of the operations.

When the cuts II are completed, the springs and 88 are permitted to expand and the table 5 and the cutters 20 are retracted from the milling area, and a cycle resulting in the complete desired milling of one piece I0 has been completed.

tends throughout the height of the machine and is rotatably mounted adjacent the top in the Yframe member 2, intermediate the top and bottom in a flange on a sub-frame 19, and at the bottom in a bearing box 18 mounted on the fiange |22 secured to the front wall |2| of the subframe 19 in turn mounted on the machine base 4. The shaft 24 effects the rotation of the cams 85 and |05, Figures 1, 10, and 11, and also effects the rotation of the cutter 30, Figures 1 and 10, through the several means hereinafter described in detail.

For effecting the |05, a spiral gear 6|, adjacent the bottom driving of the cams and Figure l1, is secured to and of the shaft 24 and engages a gear 62 secured to a cross shaft 63, Figures 10 and 11, adjacent the end of which is secured a gear 64 meshing with a gear 65 secured to a parallel cross shaft 66, both of which shafts 63 and 66 are mounted in the sub-frame 19, Figures 1, 10, and 11, to which shaft 66 the cams 85 and |05 are secured, Figures l and 11. The assembly is such as to effect the driving of the cams 85 and |05 in the directions indicated by the arrows in Figures 1 and 11.

The driving of the milling cutter 30 by the shaft 24 is effected by a spiral gear 42 secured to and intermediate the height of the shaft 24, Figures l, 7, and 10, and engaging a gear 43 secured to a cross shaft 44, rotatably mounted in a bracket 39 which is, in turn, mounted on the frame wall 22, to the end of which cross shaft 44 is secured a gear 45 meshing through an idler 46 with a gear 41 secured to the end of the cutter spindle |30 also mounted in the bracket 39. The directions of rotation are such as shown by the arrows in Figure 10.

Secured to the shaft 24'adjacent the pulley 23 is a sprocket 25, Figures 1 and 6, which is engaged by a chain 26 which also engages a pair of sprockets 21 secured to the reciprocable miller spindles |20, thus rotating the pair of milling tools 20 respectively depending from the spindles I 20. The miller spindles |20 are respectively mounted in a pair of slides 60 reciprocable toward and from each other in a manner and for a purpose hereinafter fully described.

In order to provide for the changing in effective length of the chain 26, necessitated by the approach to and receding from each other of the opposed cutter spindles |20 around which spindles |20 as a, unit the chain 26 plays, Figure 6, a sprocket 28, Figures 6 and 8, reciprocable crosswise of the top of the machine, is engaged by the chain 26 between the sprockets 25 and 21 and upon those sides of the latter tending to force the chain 26 into engagement with the sprockets 25 and 21, as fully shown in Figure 6, the reciprocation of the sprocket 28 being permitted by securying it to an uprightA pin 29 whose vbottom endA is seatedxin a plate 3| .having aipair of spaced elongated slots ,33 through whichthe plate 3| is slidably secure'd'to the top of the machine by headed pins .32. 'The plate 3| is held to effect an engagting position of the sprocketV 2.8 andthe chain 26 by a depending weight 48, Figure 1, attached to one end of a cable 36 which plays over a pulley 38 and'thencea second pulley 31', which pulleys are rotatably mounted on the frame member 2, and a frame block`19 mounted on the front face of thevertical'frame wall 22, respectively, and thence over a pulley 34 'secured by a pin 35 tothe plate 3 I, and thence is looped by its opposite end over a pin 49 upon which the"pulley31 isv rotatably table member 59 mounted on the front frame supporting member 3 and secured'to'the table 5, Figures 1, 2, 10, and'12, butadjustable relatively tothe latter, fora purpose hereinafter fully described, the table member59 having a rack por tion 98 depending from its bottom face whose teeth 991 engage the'teeth 911 of a gear segment 91. This gear segment 91 is actuated through the cam 85 and roller 99; herein'before mentioned, as follows: Referring to Figures l, 10, 11, and 12,'it will be noted that the roller 99 is rotatably mounted in the bottom endsof apair of depending lever arms 9| which, at their upper ends, are

made integral witha hub member 92 rotatably mounted upon a cross shaft 89 and having a forwardly and downwardly extending arm 95 formed therewithand mounted at its outer end on a pin |25 in an end clevisportion 931 of a rod 93 which passes through the framewall 22 and at its other end by a clevis 932 is pivotally secured to a lever arm 94 secured to a cross shaft 96 mounted in the front frame supporting member 3, to which cross shaft 96 a hub member 912 of the gear segment 91 is secured.

Claims to the improvements in work-table feeds, in part just described, are presented in my pending application Serial No. 586,594, led April 4, 1945.

The actuation of the reciprocable miller spindles |29 by the action of the cam |95 is as follows:

Referring to Figures 1, '1, 8, 9, 10, and 11, the

cam roller |I9 is rotatably mounted upon a pin |23 secured in one end of bifurcated lever arms ||51 secured at their other ends to the hub H52 vof'a forwardly longitudinally extended lever I I5, said hub H52 being rotatably mounted on the shaft 89, the opposite end of the arm I| being pivotally secured by pin I 24 to the bottom end clevis portion |961 of a vertical rod |96. The rod |96 is connected by'a turnbuckle I I8 to an upper rod portion |962 having an upper end clevis portion I (|63 by which it is pivotally connected to one end of a rock arm |911 xe'dly mounted intermediate its ends upon a shaft |91 rearwardly extended frorn the frame block 19 and having a forward end gear portion |98 meshing with rack teeth |991 whose body portion |99 is secured by Ascrews |26 to va slide 69 in which one of the miller spindles is mounted,

The other end of the rock armY |911 is pivotally secured to a clevis I I which inlturn is secured by a right and left' threaded `rod I2 to a clevis |||1 ,pivotally :secured :to` a lever |13 ,xedly '.mounted on a second shaft I|,4 rearwardly extended from the frame block 19 and having an end gear por- ;tion I I6 meshingwith ithe teeth ||11 of a rack V'plate .I |1'secured to a second slide 69 in whichthe opposite miller spindle |29 is mounted. The `.rack plates |99 and ||1 are disposed in elongated re- "icesses 14 formed in the front face ofthe block .ments, respectively, of the rod |96, Figure V1,'cau"se -the miller spindles |29 to approach each other and to recede from each other. l

When the cam roller ||0 drops into the low portion of the cam and thus terminatesthe downward pull by the forward end of rthe lever ||5 maintained on the rod 196 'when the roller I I9 'is riding on the high part of the cam |95, the compression spring 88, Figures 1 and 11,'which surroundsan upright rod 86 and is coniined between a spaced abutment 811 secured to said rod 86 anda bushing 81 mounted on the flange 2 2 of the sublfram 19, effects the upward movement of `the arm I5 since the upper end of the rod 86 is pivotally connected by an upper end clevis portion 861 to a pin 862 mounted in the arm I5, thus spreading the spindleslides 6|).` Furthermore, the spreading of the slides 69, Figure 9, is aided bya plurality "of compression springs |99, Figures 1, 6, and 9, abutting at their ends against elongated adjustable bolts |9| passed transversely into the side faces of the respective slides 69. The table 5 isso constructed as to permit the clamping of a work-piece I9 therein preliminary to the movement of the table toward the milling area and to effect such clamping of the piece I9 the following structure is provided: The table 5 is formed with a longitudinal recess 51 extending from its front" edge to the front edge of ya plate 62 at the transverse center line of lthe milling area which recess 51accommodates a plate 6, the plates 6 and VV62 having longitudinally opposed parts which are so shaped and can be so 'disposed as to provide an opening through which the shank I3 0f the piece I9, Figures 3, 4, and 5, may be passed when the plate parts 6 and 62 are Vsufliciently spaced, as hereinafter fully described. The opposed edges of these plate parts 6 and 62 are of arcuate formation so as to form, when in their closed` position, a substantially complete plate circle adaptedy to vengage-the annular side recess I4 of the piece I9.l The opposed edges of the plate members 6 and 62 forming this circle are underbeveled or of` lip construction 61 and 63, Figures 1, 10, and 12, whereby they are readily inserted `under the top flange I1 of the piece I9. Intersecting the recess 51 of the tabl-e 5 in which the plate part 6 is seated is a lower recess 1 through which and the recess 51 passes an upstanding :pin 5| vrotatably seated in the underlying body portion of the table 5. This pin 5I is formed with an eccentric 49 positioned in and of a depth equal to the combined depth of the recessesv 51 and 1 and passes through 1an elongated opening 8 in the plate member 6 of the same width as the long axis of the eccentric 49 and whose front and rear walls 81 and 82 are engaged, respectively,

by the eccentric 49 when the latter is turned; to

7 eiect opening movements andclosingmovem'ents, respectively, of 'the plate member 6. It is evident then that Vthese opening :movements .and

'closing movements are, respectively, forward movements and rearward `movements ofp'the plate 6 on the table 5. The turning movement of vthe eccentric 4U is afforded by a. handley 4I1 secured to a block 4I which in turn is adjustably secured by ya set screw 69 to the'pin 5| and is mounted on an underlying bearing block 9 whichL is secured to the table 5 byscrews II 9i and through which the rotatable pin 5I passes;Y

The plate 6 at its rear end'is retained in the recess 5l by a bar I5 which is secured by screws I6 at its ends to the sideportions of the 'work ltable 5, and the plate member 62is secured-to the corresponding end'of the underlying portion of the work table 5 at each side by a pair of screws |28. A f

From the aforegoing description, it is evident that, in the position of the handle III1 shown in Figures l, 10, and 12, the most extended portion of the eccentric 4U which is shown as being extended toward the milling area has vforced the plate part 6 into tight engagement with the work piece I8 which in turn has been forced into tight engagement with the rear plate member 62. In fact, due to the action of the rack segment 91 and its associated elements, the workpiece I has been forced by the subsequent working movement of the` table 5 into the'milling cutter 3D far enough to have completed the milling cut I2, in the position of the elements shown in the accompanying views. When the table 5 has been retracted from the working area, then a turning of the handle III1 will further retract the plate member 6 through the action -of the eccentric 40 so that an openingA is provided between the plate members 6 and 62 large enough for the withdrawal of the completed piece I0 and for the insertion of the next piece I0.

To provide means to aid the retraction of the plate member 6, when the handle 4I1 is actuated to induce such retraction, a compression spring 83, Figures 1, 10, and 12, is mounted in a recess 8| formed in the table member 5 adjacent the milling area, which compression spring 83 abuts against a pin 82 slidable in the recess 8| and depending from the plate member 6.

A positive stop is provided for the forward movement of the table 5 into the milling area. This stop operates when the table 5 has carried the work i9 suiiiciently into the working area to have enabled the rotary cutter 3U to complete the full milling operation effecting the cut I2. This stop is a screw 61, Figures 1, 2, 10, land 12, which engages and is stopped by the front wall 3 of the machine frame when the table 5 has moved into and through the milling area suliciently to complete the milling operation effected by the cutter 30. The screw 61 is adjustably mounted in the lower end of a bracket 58 which is secured at its upper end by screws 59 to the sub-table member 50. During the forward and retracting movements of the work table 5 into and out of the working area, the sub-table member 50 moves with the table 5 and is an integral part thereof for such forward and retracting purposes. The rigid connection of the table members 5 and 50 for working purposes is effected by set screws 54, Figures l, 2, and 10, which pass into the table member 50 and against T- shaped depending tongues 52 of the table 5 seated in and longitudinally adjustable of complementary. grooves53 formed in the table member 50.

`.Wherrit-is desired to adjustv the table a with -relation to the sub-table 50, such adjustment can "be made, without disturbing the underlying rack and gear setting,'by loosening the screws Y5ft and sliding the table 5 in the sub-table 50 by means of the tongues 52 and grooves 53 and thenv tightening the screws 54 in the new adjusted position of the Atable 5. To the extent desired," also, the adjustment ofA the working stroke may be secured by manipulating the stop screw 61 in the bracket 58, and to that extent not adjusting the table members 5 and 50. Further adjustments in the location of the table travel which may become necessary to suit adjustments of the screw 61 may be effected by adjusting the clevis 932 upon its rod 93.

The' sliding of the combined table structure 5-58 in the machine frame is effected by the following means:

The front frame member 3 is formed with an upper central extension I8, Figures 1, 2, and 12, in the upper surface of which an undercut dovetail recess 56 is formed which accommodates a complementary dovetail 55 adapted to slide longitudinally thereof and depending from the subtable member 50. Depending from the central part of the bottom of the dovetail 55 is the rack body 98 having bottom teeth 981 engaged by the teeth.911 of the gear segment 91, A gib 84, Figure 2, is provided for insuring a snug sliding engagement of the dovetail 55 and recess 56 and is held in position by a series of side screws 51 passed through the frame part I8.

Claims to the improved work-holder assembly and the means for actuating the same are presented in my pending application Serial No. 586,593, filed April 4, 1945.

The structure permitting the reciprocation of the spindle slides 60 to and from each other and providing a positive stop for the inward reciprocation thereof is as follows:

The slides 69 are formed with rearwardly disposed outwardly-extended side portions 691, Figures 1, 2, 6, 7, and 9, having rear dovetails or tongues 692 with upper and lower rearwardly and respectively upwardly and downwardly beveled surfaces adapted to slide in complementary grooves Il formed in the frame member 10. Gibs 12 are provided at the upper engaging surfaces of the tongue and groove members.

Secured by screws I93, Figure 1, to the side surfaces of the block 19 are a pair of forwardly extending brackets 92 through the forward ends of which freely pass elongated screws I 94, Figures 6 and 9, secured in the respective slide side portions 691. Exteriorly of the brackets |02 the screws 95 are provided with nuts |21 which engage the `brackets IGZ upon the inward movements of the slides 60 thus to form stops limiting such inward movements. Adjustment of the nuts |21 will adjust the amount of inward movement of the slides 60. The spacing between the slides 66 in their closed innermost positions is indicated by '15, Figures 2, 6, 8, and 9.

Surrounding the spindles I2!) and contained in chambers 68 formed in the slides 69 are compression springs 99 for holding the end mills 20 in the desired lowermost cutting position, the springs 98 bearing against upper xed abutments 11 and lower sliding abutments 16 whose downward movement is limited by nuts I29 provided upon the upper ends of the spindles |20.

What I claim is:

1. The method of effecting varied milling operatlons upon a metal work-piece which consists in moving the piece into a, fixed milling area, the last phase of such movement consisting also in moving the piece into a milling tool to effect one operation, and then maintaining the piece stationary in the milling area and moving another milling tool into the piece to effect a second milling operation on another portion of the workpiece.

2. The method of effecting varied milling operatons upon a metal Work-piece which consists in moving the piece into a fixed milling area, the last phase of such movement Aconsisting also in moving the piece into a, milling tool to effect one operation, and then maintaining the piece sta- 5 operations on other portions of the Work-piece.

ERIC T. NORD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Sikorovsky May 3, 1932 Number 

